1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrostatic discharge protection circuits. More particularly, the invention relates to an electrostatic discharge protection circuit used to protect field effect transistor circuits, especially those with features of one micron or smaller.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Integrated circuits employing field effect devices, commonly termed MOS integrated circuits, have a history of susceptibility to electrostatic discharge. Given the decreasing size of circuit features with everimproving process technology, static electricity generated by daily activity alone can destroy or substantially harm many MOS circuits. The circuits most susceptible to damage are usually finished circuits which have been packaged, but not yet installed into a finished product. Once installed, other means can protect the chip from damage.
An electrostatic discharge typically occurs when the circuit is touched by an individual handling the circuit before installation; when a static discharge occurs as the packaged circuit slides on its pins across another surface; or more generally, whenever the circuit is exposed to static electricity. Overall, damage from electrostatic discharges is the cause of over half of the devices returned by customers.
One traditional method for protecting integrated circuit devices employing field effect transistors from electrostatic discharge is to use diodes. These diodes are coupled between the input paths of the circuit and the pins to which the power supplies are connected. With electrostatic discharge events of one polarity the diodes are forward-biased, and with discharges of the opposite polarity they are reverse-biased. Normally the discharge that causes the diodes to become reverse-biased is the more problematic, because voltages and power surges seen by the internal logic circuits are higher than for the forward-biased case. Other methods used for protecting MOS circuits from electrostatic discharge damage are almost always variations on the diode clamping system described above.
The traditional methods described above usually function satisfactorily for circuits with large features. As the features of integrated circuits, however, approach one micron and smaller, lower voltages than those which damage larger features can destroy the diodes and the circuit. A more serious problem with double diode clamps is that they are not readily subject to analysis by circuit simulation software. In other words, it has typically been a "hit or miss" approach with double diode clamps to protect circuits from electrostatic discharge. This hit or miss approach inhibits and delays product development, adding trial and error design cycles to product release.
Another complication with electrostatic discharge problems is the increasingly higher customer standards in device reliability and performance. The military, in particular, by imposing standards such as Military Standard 883C have significantly increased the product performance standard over the old standard. This has the acceptability of previous electrostatic discharge protection techniques.